phalaenopsis leaf size - Orchid Board

waynelam83 · #1 07-25-2012, 04:25 PM

I got my first phalaenopsis six months ago. At that time, it has eight large-size leaves. The largest one has about 12 inches. Now, six months passed, it has grown 2 more new leaves. The leaves and root are strong and rigid under active growth. However, the leaf size of the newly matured leaf is considerably smaller, about one third to one half of its previous leaf(when I bought it from supermarket). I have constantly feeding Go-Miracle fertilizer to my phal. The orchid constantly receiving east window direct sunlight for 4-5 hours everyday. Is there a reason why its new leaf is so small? Does humidity play a role in leaf size? Is it a sign of something bad ongoing to the plant?(six months ago, I checked the root, and there was no root rot. and I repotted it from moss to fine bark.)

tucker85 · #2 07-25-2012, 05:38 PM

Commercial growers establish the perfect environment to grow phalaenopsis in. They control humidity, light levels, hours of light, temperature, night to day temperature changes, and perfect fertilizing schedules. There's no way that we home growers can reproduce such perfect conditions. If your phal is growing, then I'm sure you're providing everything that it needs. I wouldn't worry about leaf size.

Bud · #3 07-25-2012, 06:59 PM

you have to be patient....the leaves have to mature....the new leaves have to be at least a year old to achieve the 12 inches length....a new budding leaf of a Phal will not reach 12 inches in a couple of months....some Phals hybrids will put out a couple of leaves after a blooming cycle if youre lucky or else a new single leaf is all youll ever get

waynelam83 · #4 07-26-2012, 03:34 AM

Thank you for all the good advices. I am glad to know that small leaf isn't implying anything bad happening to my phal. knowing that it is living happily is good enough for me.
Leaf is the food generator and the food storage for phal afterall. Any sign of abnormality will reflect on leaf as well, even root rot. Of course, I cannot mimic the perfect environment in commercial grower, but with current growing environment, hopefully, it will be rewarding with a strong and healthy orchid.

RosieC · #5 07-26-2012, 06:22 PM

I've often got larger leaves than the original on a Phal that is doing well, however they can take a time to grow and can still be growing when the next leaf starts. You say its a matured leaf but what makes you think that, it may still be growing.

However I wouldn't worry if it does stay smaller. Sometimes that happens and as long as your roots are good its not really a problem.

Wynn Dee13 · #6 07-26-2012, 07:18 PM

My NOID Phal did that when I first got it. It grew two new leaves and they were shorter but wider. It bloomed fine in January and is now on its third leaf but this year the leaves are longer. I was thinking it might be from different light levels but I'm not sure. But it's healthy so I don't worry about it. Good luck!

waynelam83 · #7 07-26-2012, 09:13 PM

I thought the first new leaf was mature because I did measure the length weekly when it was under-development. and it stopped the growth two weeks before the second leaf emerge. its length has not increase since then.
My second leaf has been underdevelopment for 7-8 weeks now. its growth is slowing down as well.

Mine is also a NOID phal. Now, my theory is that the orchid might be recovering from the shock of environment change from orchid grower to supermarket to my home. So, future leaf will be getting bigger and bigger after the recovery.

camille1585 · #8 07-27-2012, 05:13 AM

If you want to know if the leaf has finished growing yet, have a look at the base of it. It's hard to explain, but if you see a line across the bottom of the leaf right above where it is attached to the plant (which is the natural breaking point when old leaves fall) then the leaf has finished growing. If there's nothing, it still has some growing to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wynn Dee13

My NOID Phal did that when I first got it. It grew two new leaves and they were shorter but wider. It bloomed fine in January and is now on its third leaf but this year the leaves are longer. I was thinking it might be from different light levels but I'm not sure. But it's healthy so I don't worry about it. Good luck!

Yes, it's light related. In low light the leaves may be a bit shorter, and the definately are much wider. Leaves that grow in higher light are long and narrow in comparison. During college I would bring my orchids home with me over the summer, where they got much better light. The ones that grow 2 leaves a year have a funny alternation of a wide leaf, followed by a narrow leaf that grew during the summer...